Computer mouse tracking offers a simple and cost-efficient way to gather continuous behavioral data and has mostly been utilized in psychological science to study cognitive processes. The present study extends the potential applicability of computer mouse tracking and investigates the feasibility of using computer mouse tracking for stress measurement. Drawing on first empirical results and theoretical considerations, we hypothesized that stress affects sensorimotor processes involved in mouse usage. To explore the relationship between stress and computer mouse usage, we conducted a between-participant field experiment in which N = 994 participants worked on four mouse tasks in a high-stress or low-stress condition. In the manipulation check, participants reported different stress levels between the two conditions. However, frequentist and machine learning data analysis approaches did not reveal a clear and systematic relationship between mouse usage and stress. These findings challenge the feasibility of using straightforward computer mouse tracking for generalized stress measurement.

计算机鼠标跟踪提供了一种简单且经济高效的方式来收集连续的行为数据，并且主要用于心理科学来研究认知过程。本研究扩展了计算机鼠标跟踪的潜在适用性，并研究了使用计算机鼠标跟踪进行压力测量的可行性。根据第一个经验结果和理论考虑，我们假设压力会影响鼠标使用中涉及的感觉运动过程。为了探索压力和电脑鼠标使用之间的关系，我们进行了一个参与者之间的现场实验，其中N= 994 名参与者在高压力或低压力条件下完成了四项鼠标任务。在操作检查中，参与者报告了两种情况之间的不同压力水平。然而，常客和机器学习数据分析方法并没有揭示鼠标使用和压力之间的清晰和系统的关系。这些发现挑战了使用简单的计算机鼠标跟踪进行广义压力测量的可行性。